Beat of the Song, Beat of the Heart
by SilverRowan4
Summary: Lucy's entire life is stifling. Her father is controlling and her school life at the Fiore Preparatory Academy for the Gifted is lonely and dull. Her only escape is dance. Every Friday night, she secretly dances at the Fairy Tail Dance Hall. Alone, because she has yet to find a partner who can keep up with her. That is, until a smug, pink haired boy sweeps her away.
1. Chapter 1

**Hi, Silver Rowan here! This is a new story I'm starting. NaLu, AU, all that good stuff. Oh, I don't own Fairy Tail.**

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_Beat of the Song, Beat of the Heart _

Spinning, twirling. The air rushing through her hair, sweat running down her face. Eyes closed, face upturned, spread in an enormous smile.

Lucy was dancing.

She was at the Fairy Tail Dance Hall. Just dancing, not caring about anything else in the world. Dancing alone, because she hadn't found anyone who could keep up with her. She opened her eyes for a second, drinking in the sights. The club was dim, with light flashing a myriad of colors every few seconds. The dance floor was crowded, packed to almost bursting. People moved against each other, bodies pulsing to the beat of the music.

There were only three rules at Fairy Tail. The music had to be fast, it had to be loud, and you had to dance. If you didn't dance, there was almost no point in coming. The dance floor stretched almost wall to wall, with a few chairs and tables on one side of the room, a small bar on the other. The DJ stand was situated against the far wall. Lucy didn't know what color the walls were, or what the bar served. She only came here to dance.

Every Friday night, she showed up an hour after the eight o'clock opening and danced until closing time at one in the morning. Lucy loved it here. She craved the loud music, the beat pulsing in time with her heartbeat, the ache that spread through her limbs after hours of dancing. It was the only time in her life that she felt alive, away from the stifling confines of her normal life.

Yes, she danced alone. She had been disappointed at first, that no one in the club could keep up with her after three or four songs. She hated switching partners. It threw off her rhythm, made her dance off beat the rest of the night. So Lucy refused all prospective partners and danced by herself.

Lucy lost herself in the song that was playing. She didn't have to think. Her feet moved instinctually to the beat. She knew this song, and was waiting for a specific moment. _There._ The music soared, paused, and dropped into a throbbing beat and melody. She let herself go and spun.

Right into someone's arms.

Her eyes snapped opened and she crashed back into reality. She scowled. She had only been here for an hour. This idiot was going to screw up her entire night. Knowing that he wouldn't be able to hear her over the ear-splitting music, she just shook her head and tried to pull herself from his arms. He grinned at her, holding her tightly. He shook his head back at her. She glowered at him.

The next song started, exploding into being, guitars shrieking and piano pounding. The guy who had proclaimed himself her partner pulled her into the dance, taking the lead. To her utter shock, he was going _exactly _her speed, about twice as fast as everyone else. She fell back into her trance, smile spreading over her face and eyes drifting shut.

They tore through the crowd, spinning and twirling and dipping and sliding. He lifted her into the air, dancing as if he could see how the music was moving. She opened her eyes to see him laughing, his dark eyes sparkling. She laughed with him as adrenaline shot through her veins and the next song started.

They kept going until closing time. Every song, never missing a beat or step, never stopping to take a break. They kept dancing until she felt her lungs would burst. Then they danced past that point.

Then suddenly, it was closing time. The music shut off abruptly, and employees started to usher people off the floor. Fairy Tail had a no lingering policy.

Lucy and her partner finally stopped spinning, panting for breath and staring into each other's eyes. He leaned his sweaty forehead against hers. He had very dark eyes, darker than she had realized. And those dark eyes were burning into hers. The only words she could think were _onyx fire_.

He laughed softly, and pulled away from her. She regretted it, missing the pressure of his arms around her as soon as it was gone. He stepped back and ran a hand through his hair. She didn't notice though, because she was still lost in his eyes.

"Thanks for tonight." He spoke softly. _He must be tired_, she mused. _He doesn't seem like a very quiet person. _She was still stuck in his eyes, and barely registered that he was holding out his hand. Shaking her head to snap herself out of her daze. She reached out to shake his hand, and he gave her a toothy grin. "I'm Natsu. Natsu Dragneel." She murmured a greeting back at him. He stuck his hands into his back pockets.

_Onyx fire onyx fire onyx fire._

"I've seen you here a lot. You don't dance with other people very often, do you?" She shook her head, still not trusting herself to speak. "Well, you don't have to worry about that anymore!" He spread his arms wide. "I'm your permanent partner now!" He cheered.

_What._

That snapped her out of her obsession over his eyes. She crossed her arms, and glared at him. "And what gives _you_ the right to decide _that_." She snapped. His grin grew even wider, and he leaned in, bringing their faces close together. Under the smell of sweat, a smoky scent wound its way to her nostrils. _Holy hells, how can he still smell good after dancing for three hours? _She struggled to keep her face impassive, refusing to broadcast her inner turmoil.

"Because I'm the only one that's on your level." He pointed a finger at her. "And you _liked_ dancing with me.

All protests died in her throat. She stared at him, brown eyes wide as she turned his words over in her mind. It was hard to think. He was standing really close to her. She opened her mouth, floundering for a response when an employee came over to them.

"I'm sorry, but it's closing time. You have to leave now." The woman smiled at them sweetly, blue eyes touching on both teens. The dance hall was empty except for them. Natsu groaned.

"Ah, come on Mira! I'm busy talking to-" He suddenly realized his partner wasn't next to him anymore. He spun around, frantically searching for her, and found her halfway out the door. "Hey, WAIT!" His distressed call stopped her. She turned, and arched an eyebrow, shooting him a questioning look. He took half a step toward her. "I don't know your name." He admitted, sounding slightly embarrassed. Mira hid a smile behind her hand, and the blonde girl giggled.

"You'll have to wait until next week. It's almost my curfew." With that, she left Natsu hanging, her laughter echoing through his head, and disappeared into the parking lot. It wasn't until she had made it to her little blue car, peeled out of the mostly empty parking, and was halfway home, when she realized something that almost made her stop in the middle of the deserted road.

Natsu's hair was _pink._

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**So, there you go! I know, I should be working on _Return of the Stars_, but this was floating through my head, and I couldn't concentrate on anything else until it was done. But never fear, I'm almost done with the next chapter of _Return of the Stars_! I hope you enjoyed this.**

**Silver Rowan out!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey guys, it's me again. I hope you guys like this story. I think it's adorable. I'm sorry it takes me so long to update! Life. The struggle is REAL.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail.**

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_Chapter 2_

_Dancing. Spinning. Laughing. Not alone anymore. His teeth reflect the club lights as his lips stretch into a grin. She smiles back. Her heart stutters as he suddenly lifts her into the air._

Lucy Heartfilia awoke with a contented smile on her lips. Instead of getting up, she rolled on her side, hugging her blankets and pressing her face into the pillow as her grin grew even wider. Natsu Dragneel. The only boy to ever keep up with her dancing. In that wonderful place half way between sleep and waking, she could relive Friday night over and over, feeling the pull of her muscles, the sweat sliding down her skin, his hands pressed firmly against her body…

_BANG BANG BANG _

She gasped, bolting upright. What on Earth? She glanced at her clock, and groaned. Monday morning. Seven a.m. Time to get up and go to school. Lucy sighed, the pleasure of the dream dance fading from her mind. Her maid's voice floated through the door. "Miss Lucy, it's seven. Time to get ready for school." Lucy heaved another sigh, and rubbed her eyes.

"Ok. Thank you. I'll be down for breakfast in about 30 minutes." She answered just loud enough for her voice to carry across her bedroom and through the door.

"Yes, Miss Lucy." She could practically _hear_ Virgo nod and curtsy before turning and walking down the hallway, heels clacking against the polished wooden floor. Lucy sighed again and stretched before dragging herself out of the queen-sized bed. It used to be a king, but she had gone so far as to sleep in the library until it was removed. She had hated the enormous thing. It only served to remind her how lonely she was.

Sitting on the edge of her bed, pink comforter still wrapped around her shoulders, Lucy stared at her room until her brain began to function. The hardwood floors were covered in a rainbow of soft carpets, the pale yellow walls lined with elegant white bookshelves that were stuffed with books in a manner that was anything _but_ elegant. The door to the hallway was set in the wall directly across from her overly large bed. On the right, there were two doors that she had painted bright pink that led to her walk-in closet and the bathroom suite. She stretched again, rolling her neck as she felt her spine pop. On her left, the wall was taken up by a huge window that let in the new light from the rising sun. Underneath the window was her desk, a huge cherry wood monstrosity with clawed feet and _way _too many drawers that she had found at a little antique shop in Magnolia. A slightly bitter smile pulled at her mouth. Her father hated the thing.

Which was precisely why it was still sitting in her room.

She stretched again, ran a hand through her hair, and yawned. She finally got out of bed, bending over to touch her toes. Lucy wasn't really a morning person. She stumbled to the bathroom, starting her morning routine. The dance swept through her mind again, and the morning already seemed brighter.

Fifteen minutes later, Lucy was eyeing her school uniform with extreme dislike. Sure, it looked okay, but the fabric was low-quality and it wasn't her style. She _hated_ wearing it. Hated the school, too. She took a deep breath through her nose and slowly pulled on the uniform. First, the long-sleeved button up white blouse. Always long-sleeved, even when the hot season rolled around. Then the knee-length navy blue skirt with the fabric that always irritated her skin. Next, the mustard colored tie that both the male and female students were required to wear. Over that was the navy blue vest that matched the skirt. The vest only served to make the uniform even more stifling. She sat down on her bed to pull on knee-high white socks and black dress shoes. When she stood up again, she checked her reflection in the floor length mirror that hung on the wall next to her closet door. The only places with skin showing were her hands and face. Her lip curled in distaste. The school board claimed that exposed skin distracted students of both genders from their studies.

_Idiots_.

Lucy turned away from the mirror, and headed back to the bathroom to fix her hair. She checked her clock. Ten minutes until breakfast. She brushed her long blonde hair, then pulled it up into the regulation bun, leaving her bangs hanging down to frame her face. Turning her head from side to side, she checked for any loose strands she might have missed, then dusted on a sparse amount of makeup.

The little-to-no-makeup rule was the only part of the Fiore Prep dress code she didn't mind. She glanced at the clock. Ready to go with five minutes to spare. She grabbed her regulation messenger bag and walked to her door. She stopped when she reached it. Lucy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When her eyes opened again, they were filled with grim determination, like she was heading off to battle. She squared her shoulders and opened the door.

_Four days till dancing. _

_Four days till I see him again._

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After a solitary breakfast and a silent walk to school, Lucy stood in front of the gates of the Fiore Preparatory Academy for the Gifted. She snorted to herself. For the gifted. _Yeah, right._

Pushing that thought aside, she walked up to the front doors, gazing up at the beautiful building. It was a really a shame. This was _supposed_ to be the première school of Magnolia, with top-notch teachers, challenging courses, and clever students. It was really just a place where the spoiled rich kids of the city lazed around and complained all day until it was time for them to go home and laze around and complain some more.

The teachers were mediocre at best, hardly even bothering to teach. Instead, they preferred to assign mountains of homework and weekend projects. Lucy usually spent her entire Saturday and Sunday, from eight in the morning to ten at night on both days, struggling through the ridiculous amount of work she had been assigned that week. At least none of it was challenging. But the work was so time-consuming that she couldn't go to the Dance Hall _at all_ over the weekend.

That's what she really hated about it.

_Such a shame_. The thought echoed through her head as she made her way down the elegant hallway to her first period class. The building was several hundred years old, a Victorian-era mansion donated by a family who was so rich, they had several similar mansions throughout Fiore. Lucy wished that she could have seen it before the interior was torn out and renovated. Sometimes, to pass the time in her mind-numbing classes, she would try to imagine what the building had looked like in its prime.

As she sat at her desk, musing about how in another life, the cafeteria had been a grand ballroom, a hand swept her folders and books off her desk. Lucy reflexively jerked back as her things hit the floor with a crash, looking up at her antagonist with a startled expression. Minerva Orlando was standing next to her desk, flanked by her cronies Mary Hughes and Flare Corona, wearing a nasty grin. Mary, or Hughes, as she preferred to be called, was giggling, while Flare just looked uncomfortable, silently apologizing to Lucy.

"Sorry, Lardy. Did I distract you from your daydreams about your next snack?" Minerva sneered at the blonde, flouncing off before Lucy had a chance to reply. Hughes and Flare followed her to their desks at the back of the classroom.

Lucy sighed as she bent to pick up her school supplies. Lardy? Really? They had known each other since kindergarten, and now, at the beginning of their junior year of high school, Minerva still couldn't come up with a better insult? That actually bothered her more than the name calling itself. Lucy glanced down at her trim waist. The insulting nickname wasn't even accurate anymore. Lucy had lost all of her tenacious baby fat during eighth grade, or as she dubbed it in her mind, the year puberty hit hard. She sighed again as her history teacher walked in, ten minutes late, and finally started class.

_Time to start another _wonderful_ day at Fiore Prep._

Damn. Sometimes she regretted the fact that no one else was there to enjoy her acerbic sarcasm.

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On the other side of Magnolia, a far different morning was taking place at Fairy Tail High.

"Oi, Flame-Brain! What the heck was up with you on Friday night? You just ditched us!" Natsu was still too satisfied to be bothered by Gray. He just leaned back in his seat and laced his hands behind his neck.

"I found more...attractive company." Natsu's smug tone made Gray want to punch him in the face, until…

"HOLY HELL! You finally asked her to dance!" Gray's jaw dropped. He clapped Natsu on the back, grinning and congratulating him as the rest of their friends looked on, confused.

"….What's going on?" Levy leaned over to whisper to Cana, who was taking a swig of her "apple juice". The brunette girl swallowed and smacked her lips.

"Sounds like Natsu finally got the balls to ask someone to dance at Fairy Tail." Cana grinned. Blushing at her friend's crude language, Levy sat back in her chair, chewing on her lower lip as she watched Natsu and Gray's antics.

Which had devolved into fighting.

"What d'ya mean, ice princess? You think I don't have the guts to ask _one girl _to dance?" Natsu glared at the other boy.

"Well, until last night, you didn't, flame brain. At least _I _actually dance when we go there. You just sit around, moping and watching her." When it came to Natsu, Gray's cooler than cold temper went out the window.

The boys began to take threatening steps forward, faces red and voices raised, hands waving. It might have come to blows, if Titania hadn't walked into the classroom at that moment.

_SMACK._

Gray and Natsu went reeling into opposite corners, holding their throbbing heads. Not daring to test Erza's patience, they glared at each other instead of her.

"Natsu, Gray. I will not tolerate fighting in this classroom." The redhead was sitting calmly at her desk. "This is a place for learning." Her eyes gleamed and she leaned forward, directing her attention to Natsu. He blanched and curled further into his corner. "Now, Natsu. Tell us about this girl you danced with on Friday. The two of you looked like you were having a good time." Erza's smile made a shiver run down Natsu's spine. Rubbing his head, he moved carefully back to his desk.

"Well, you guys know that blonde girl that's at the dance hall every Friday?" He directed his question to the entire classroom.

"You mean the one you and Gray call the Golden Girl?" Jet finally looked away from Levy.

"The one who always looks sad and dances alone?" Droy kept one eye on his crush. Natsu nodded.

"Yeah, her." A small smile stole across Natsu's face. "Well, we danced together on Friday." He had everyone's attention now. They began to assault him with questions. Did she dance as well as they thought? Did Natsu find out why she danced alone? What was her name?

The last question came from Gray. The room went silent, looking eagerly at Natsu. This girl had been a mystery for years. They wanted some answers about her.

Natsu's face went red. He looked away and rubbed the back of his neck as he mumbled, "I don't know." A disappointed groan rang through the room. Gray glared at him.

"Flame brain, you idiot! How could you not get her name? You asked her to dance, didn't you?" Gray crossed his arms. Natsu glared back, then looked away in embarrassment.

"Well, yes and no." He hedged. His friends waited, but he seemed to have no intention of continuing.

"Natsu, continue your story. Leave nothing out." Erza's sharp command made Natsu jump and cringe in his seat.

"Okay, okay! Fine. I'll tell you." He looked up at the ceiling. "I didn't exactly "ask" her to dance. I just kinda worked it so I was standing there…and when she spun…she spun into my arms…and I didn't let go." His voice grew softer and softer. At the end of his explanation it was barely a whisper.

Everything was quiet.

Then Gray slammed his hands down on a desk. "Dammit, Natsu!" Natsu kept looking at the ceiling. Gray groaned in frustration. "You idiot! How could you not get her NAME?" They had been watching this girl dance for _year_s. And the first time anyone from their group had been in contact with her, the idiot didn't even get her _name_. _AND_ she'll probably never have anything to do with said idiot ever again!

Natsu glowered at him. "I _asked _her for her name." The beautiful blonde girl swept through his mind, where she had been every waking and dreaming moment since they had parted at Fairy Tail. Suddenly, Natsu laughed, and broke into a wide, face stretching grin. The tips of his sharp canines glinted. "I guess I'll just have to ask her again this Friday."

Gray just stared at him in shock.

"_WHAT?"_

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**Thank you Manamix777 for being the first person to follow this.**

**Ok, I know I should really be working on _Return of the Stars _(and I am!), but whenever I try, this story is always _there_.**

**SO, rate and review, comment and critique, yada, yada, yada... And feel free to PM me if you have any questions or want to talk.**

**Silver Rowan out!**

**(P.S. - Did you guys like _A Day in the Life?)_**


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